Gene Parsons is an americandrummer, best known for his work with The Byrds from 1968 to 1972, although officially still a member until the groups dissolution in 1973, he had not performed with them after 1972, as Roger McGuinn was on a reunion tour with the other original members. Parsons was brought in by Clarence White to replace previous drummer Kevin Kelley. For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... The Byrds (formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964) was an American rock group. ... See also: 1967 in music, other events of 1968, 1969 in music, 1960s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 4 - Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police, after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with bassist Noel Redding. ... See also: 1971 in music, other events of 1972, 1973 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events January 17 - Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed Elvis Presley Blvd January 20 - Pink Floyd debuts Dark Side of the Moon during a performance at... See also: 1972 in music, other events of 1973, 1974 in music, 1970s in music and the list of years in music // Events January-February January 9 - Mick Jaggers request for a Japanese visa is rejected on account of a 1969 drug bust, putting an abrupt end to The... James Roger McGuinn (born July 13, 1942) is an American singer-songwriter, who was born as James Joseph McGuinn III in Chicago, Illinois. ... Clarence White (June 7, 1944 - July 14, 1973) was a guitar player for The Byrds and the Kentucky Colonels. ...
Parsons was born in Los Angeles on September 4, 1944, and grew up mostly in the Mojave Desert.
Parsons stuck around until 1972, with high points including the albums The Ballad of Easy Rider and Untitled, and then left for a solo career.
In 1974, Parsons took a break from his solo career to join another groundbreaking country-rock group, the Flying Burrito Brothers; he appeared on 1975's Flying Again and 1976's Airborne before a wrist injury forced him to take several years off of music.
GeneParsons is a singer, a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter, an innovative engineer, a nascent author, a fervent environmentalist and a former member of the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers.
GeneParsons introduced former colleague Gib Guilbeau's 'Your Gentle Ways Of Loving Me' to the band, but wasn't he disappointed that he didn't get to sing the song?"I was just glad to have one of Gib's tunes recorded by a major band.
GeneParsons was not unduly worried by McGuinn's attempt to revivify the Byrds corpse, as the same year saw the release of his first solo album Kindling.